11 year old self harming at school

[elliejjtiny]

Ds5 is in year 7 at mainstream secondary school, has autism and emotional development delay (so emotionally he is like a toddler). He has an ehcp which states he needs 1-1 all the time but he doesn't have the correct funding for this so he gets 1-3. The school are doing really well with him despite the lack of funding and the teaching assistant is like some kind of ninja trying to work with 3 children who should be getting 1-1 support.

Today he came home with red marks on his wrist where he has been chewing his wrist. He used to do this in primary school but it had stopped and now it's started again.

Sounds like a response to sensory overload which would make sense if he's just started secondary school (Has he? Sorry I only know the Welsh system). A short term solution would be a cuff or similar: https://www.sensorydirect.com/behaviour/biting?srsltid=AfmBOorG-TPilh_nJRGF7LzTQkIoAoME8d0tjGvWPS_aJ9BWG1_f6j1h

Thank you. Yes he has just started secondary school. He has fidget toys at school and I will get some ones he can chew as well.

If 1:1 is detailed, specified and quantified in F, it must be provided. It is not optional. Funding is not your concern. The LA is ultimately responsible. Did you contact the Director of Children’s Services? If that didn’t work, have you sent a pre-action letter?

Has DS had a sensory OT assessment? Is sensory OT provision in F?

Thank you. 1:1 is detailed, specified and quantified in F, I made sure of that. I emailed the caseworker not the director of children's services. I'm not sure who the school contacted. They said it was a something of needs that they did, i can't remember the first word.

He hasn't had a sensory OT assessment. It was meant to have been done years ago but it got cancelled because of lockdown. Then afterwards we were told he didn't need one. Sensory OT isn't provided in F but the secondary school said that he needed it when they appealed the funding. He uses the sensory room at school twice a day.

Yesterday I had phone calls from the school saying that he is over spending on his school dinner account and that he is hugging some of the other students. It's worrying me that he isn't being given enough supervision.

You need to email the Director of Children’s Services and pursue a pre-action letter. The caseworker is unlikely to resolve this. The LA will only resolve it if forced.

As part of your next AR, you can look at a sensory OT assessment.

Some school meal payment systems allow you to set a daily limit. Worth asking about.